Converting a Backyard Shed into a Model Workshop

[Julie Mo]

On 5/21/2020 at 11:27 AM, Hank said:

Julie,

Thanks for the nice comments! This is a 20+ year old shed that has typical shed features - it has 4 skid beams with joists @ 90°, 16" OC. Then either 1/2" or 3/4" exterior plywood flooring (don't know the variety). That's it - it is what it is!! The shed sits too low to the ground to get under to do anything in the way of repairs. I guess the time to have thought about replacing or insulating would have been prior to any renovations when it was basically empty. Didn't give much thought to it then. The plan (if you want to call it a "plan") was to use the old laminate floor out of the house as a finished shop floor - but, as my recent posts have indicated, that just at this point probably won't work out. I'm leaning towards 16" (or 24") square black/white vinyl tile in the shop (back) and using the salvaged Berber carpeting in the front. I did a CAD layout of the floor using 12" squares and as I noted, it was just way too busy for this size area. For the most part, the existing plywood is fairly flat - only a couple places where nails will have to be hammered down. The floor is not 100% level all around, but "acceptable" - most of the joints are fairly even between the sheets of plywood. The other factor is cost - I'm trying to do this with available materials and not spend a fortune on this building; hence, buying tiles, etc. is not fitting into this plan very well.

What does "SO" mean? Not familiar with that abbreviation.

 

Hank

Hank,

The problem with laminate flooring is it requires conditions typically found indoors, particularly in the temperature range.  So sitting on a floor that may be substantially colder than the air temperature could cause problems.  Sheet vinyl would be a good choice.  But you would need a glue unaffected by vapor or temperature swings.  Exterior grade paint is always an option. 

 

You could insulate the base of the shed with foam boards typically used for the exterior of basement foundation walls.  That would reduce the temperature swings which would help minimize moisture issues.  If you were building new, you'd lay down insulating board and put a vapor barrier over that.  But I think if you insulate around the perimeter of the base, that could work well enough.

 

Julie

 

BTW, SO is significant other

[Hank]

1 hour ago, thibaultron said:

Does anyone make a LED replacement lamp for the circular fluorecent bulbs in the lamps with the center magniifer lens? I live by my magnifier lamp, it is much needed now that I am older.

I don't know about this question, but....a couple years ago I did replace the circular fluorescent bulb in my magnifier lamp with a new one. So, from that standpoint they are still available.

[Hank]

Julie,

Thanks for the nice & informative reply! I think we've established that SO = Significant Other, so thank him, as well!

As for current thinking on the flooring - I'm pursuing a black/white diamond pattern idea using 12"x12" vinyl tile squares - I've located an online wholesaler whose prices beat out all others. So, since the 12x12 tiles are too small, I'm thinking of using a pattern of 4 per color, alternating. This will produce the desired result and also not make the room so "dazzling" busy as the smaller tiles would be if installed individually. The only question at the moment is whether or not these tiles are peel & stick or standard tiles that require an adhesive prep prior to laying in place. I forgot to check on that the last time I visited this particular website.

As for the existing laminate flooring, I've posted that on one of the apps for selling stuff that are available on the smart phones. We'll see if that flies; if not, I'll donate to the local Habitat Restore.

 

The Admiral has made her morning inspection and I've now been issued today's POD which includes an early afternoon cruise into "the big city" to look for shrubs & so forth! Wishing to avoid any further potential use of "The Cat", I've changed into my coxswain's uniform and am getting the Caddy Wagon warmed up for today's outing One good point is that on the way home we'll stop at one of the local BBQ spots and have Mo Pig for an early dinner - they're open (a new open air patio idea) and we'll be there!!!

[wefalck]

People are always fast with 'buts', but I would be somewhat cautious with this kind of vinyl floor tiles. I did my mother's porcelain-painting workshop floor with them and with time two issues emerged: a) the adhesive started to ooze out between the seams of the tiles and obviously started to attract dirt, resulting in an ungainly appearance of the light coloured floor b) with time also some corners of the tiles started to lift off and became ripped off in high-traffic areas. Not sure whether this was a fault due to my inexperience as a floor-layer, or is an inherent flaw of the material.

 

The dirty seam problem probably could be abated by laying single black and white tiles, as then the seams would not be very visible.

 

Otherwise, I personally would rather go for a wooden/laminate floor ... more forgiving, when tools drop or paint/solvents are spilled. It can also be refurbished by sanding and revarnishing.

[uss frolick]

A single punched-tin, whale-oil lantern, swinging from an overhead beam, would make your ship-model lighting historically more authentic!🕯🤓

[Roger Pellett]

Simple lighting idea:

 

To supplement my overhead fluorescent lighting, I like an inexpensive architect? Light, except that I removed the clamp on part.  The fixture now sits in a 1/2in drilled hole on my workbench.  Actually I have two holes to allow it to be moved depending upon where I am working.  You could drill any number to allow it to be moved about.

 

 

[Hank]

Wefalck,

I'll keep your caution in mind re. the vinyl tiles.

Mr. Frollick, Sir,

I will certainly keep the oil lamp under consideration - I do already have one type of oil lamp to be hung, perhaps there will be a beam added just for this purpose!

Roger,

As I've mentioned just a couple posts ago, I also have a stash of adj. lamps that require only a hole with which to mount - but, you picture showing the steel plate provides the answer to what would have been my comment - the hole gets worn and then the lamp won't keep it's position. I'm still keeping this idea on a back burner.

 

Rain again this evening - a short, heavy downpour lasting only about 5 minutes - I checked and all was dry; however, I've posted a watch with orders to inform me (not The Admiral) of any change in bilge levels during the night!

[thibaultron]

I would second the Wefalck's cautions on individual tiles. I've never had anything but trouble with them. I'd recommend vinyl sheet flooring. Glued down, not taped. I taped the vinyl flooring down in some areas of my house, and it is coming apart, where furniture sits on it. It gets pulled back and forth as you sit and get up and thins out in those areas. The areas I did do a full surface glue do not have this problem. A cheap non-foam backed vinyl is more durable, and cheaper, than the foamed backed ones, but getting harder to find.

[Nirvana]

Hank, do you have a local lumberliquidator or one somewhat close? Many times they have overstock or non-sellable quantities you can get for the cents to a dollar.

I got 100 sq.ft laminated 10mm flooring for less than 30 cents per sq.ft.

These sales are not posted. You have to make a visit directly. Just an idea. Or go with real vinyl flooring, one whole piece to glue down.

Personally I would go with laminated.

And stay away from glue down or sticky vinyl tiles. They are just a pain.

[Hank]

Ron, Dr. Per -

The vinyl tile I'm looking at is 12x12 peel & stick and at the price they're asking, I can't match it anywhere. My contractor/realtor/friend is due to make a visit (maybe today) and I'll ask him about possibly just going ahead and laying down floor adhesive in spite of the fact these are peel & stick. That way, I've basically taken the risk factor of them peeling up, etc. into consideration from the git-go. One of the reasons I've asked him over is to give me the yea/nea decision on whether the existing shed floor is "flat" enough to do all this tiling in the first place. So, if he gives me the thumbs up on doing tile, we'll discuss the "hows" and so forth next.

Today is Independent Steaming which in civilian terms means "The Admiral has things that YOU need to attend to!!"

[Julie Mo]

On 5/23/2020 at 11:31 AM, Hank said:

As for current thinking on the flooring - I'm pursuing a black/white diamond pattern idea using 12"x12" vinyl tile squares - I've located an online wholesaler whose prices beat out all others. So, since the 12x12 tiles are too small, I'm thinking of using a pattern of 4 per color, alternating. This will produce the desired result and also not make the room so "dazzling" busy as the smaller tiles would be if installed individually. The only question at the moment is whether or not these tiles are peel & stick or standard tiles that require an adhesive prep prior to laying in place.

We did peel and stick tiles in our basement in the last house.  When the floor was poured, they laid visqueen down first but that often gets pinholes when the pressure of the concrete presses on the 3/4" limestone below.  So you could say the floor is questionable when it comes to being sealed from moisture wicking up.

 

IIRC, the tiles were installed in the early 1990s.  And they were still there when we sold the house in 2015.  The only tiles that came loose were the ones that had something heavy dropped on them, like my son's weights.  I was really surprised how well they stayed down.

 

If you decided to go this route, I'd seal the floor first.  That should give the tiles a good surface to adhere to.  But if there is any give to the floor, that could present some problems. 

 

BTW, when we were selling the house, a couple realtors suggested we replace those tiles.  This picture will tell you why. 

[Roger Pellett]

It’s a shop!  Unless you have a magic ability to avoid spilling or splattering paint the floor is going to take a beating.  What’s wrong with the flooring that you already have?  If you want to dress it up a bit add a coat or two of grey alkyd porch and deck paint.

 

Roger

[Jaager]

Provided there is no vapor lock situation with the joist and subfloor plywood,  in the spirit of over engineering everything, a layer of Wonderboard could be laid over the plywood and a finish layer over that.  Of course you will not be taking a shower out there or worrying about ceiling noise for your down stairs neighbors,  but it should stiffen up the walking and stool rolling around on surface.

 

I think my eyes would get really tired of a high contrast - visually busy flooring.

 

If your poly on the bench tops does not hold up, there is always a Formica type surface that can be added - that IS one use for the otherwise dread Dap contact cement.

[druxey]

If you go the chessboard route, I can guarantee that any light colored pieces you drop will land on white, and any dark pieces will land on - yes, you've guessed it!

[Hank]

In reverse order - Druxey Wins!!!! YEAH!!!!!

Roger - Yes, you are quite correct, however, the area in front of the partition will be basically a small den - nautical items/books/models/paintings, etc. so I wanted it to be a bit different. However, your comment does give me an idea. Checkerboard in the front, and single color in the back. I didn't want to leave the exterior plywood exposed - it's just, well...nasty!

Jaager - Duly noted - good catch on the razzle-dazzle effect, etc.

Julie - Nice pool room!!! Will keep comments under consideration.

 

Work today was small wall stuff and I may get out this evening to do more painting up front; storms in the air and my grill is not quite ready....🥵 - Have a Great Holiday, but do remember...our Vets and what they've given us all.

Hank

[Hank]

Well, didn't get to the painting - will hopefully get that back in gear tomorrow a.m. Tonight however, I did get the paint shelf unit assembled and hung and also created and have in use a hook board for all sorts of things that need to be hung up and out of the way! Have begun unpacking in order to clear away boxes - final disposition of items yet undetermined!

The shelf unit still has clamps and weights to keep things in place until the glue sets!

[Bob Cleek]

On 5/15/2020 at 7:41 AM, Nirvana said:

Paint ain't cheap.

In my workshop, one gallon of primer/paint cost 24 dollars. That was the cheapest they had. 

Yeah, but was organic, water-based,  and environmentally friendly! Not that nasty old-fashioned stuff made out of tree sap, vegetable oil, and chalk. Doesn't that give you a warm satisfied feeling that you're saving the earth?  

[Hank]

A formal Board of Inquiry will be called to investigate the entire flooring issue  from stem to stern - we'll call this "Deckgate" - 

 

 

[the learner]

Bet you can't wait until you start working in the shipyard again! The new shop is looking good.

[Hank]

7 hours ago, the learner said:

Bet you can't wait until you start working in the shipyard again! The new shop is looking good.

Guy,

Thanks very much! Yes, I'm quit ready to begin work - actually, I need a place NOW to get some repair work done. However, every thing in it's proper time, I guess.

Hank

[Hank]

Today, was one of those days where I spent only a necessary amount of time in the shop - but, did get the 4 small LED Light fixtures wired in and working. They aren't "installed" yet, just hanging from their connection boxes. They are my "4 lb" lights - I went out to the shop weighing 193 lbs after lunch and after getting them wired and one other small elec. job done, I left and when I re-weighed myself I was at 189 - it was hot, humid, and generally not a good time to be working in the bldg. today - did have a small fan running, but was sweating up a storm!! Perhaps tonight once it's cooled down, I'll go back out and begin one other elec. wiring job and call it a day.

Here's the lights and the "mess":

As for the leak, it wasn't all that bad when I got out here this a.m., but still needs to be addressed. So, at least I know that part of the larger leakage last week was coming from the porch roof peak at the joint with the front wall - that's been fixed, so there's something else that I haven't found yet....

[Jaager]

Hank,

I forgot that you inland Tarheels have it a bit warmer and do not have a giant moving heat sink to soak up some of the heat.  At least those not on the Outer Banks do not.  But they will need webbed feet soon, what with sea level rise.

OK, lets do an unrealistic blue sky mitigation. 

Quick and dirty,  a window unit A/C,  Duke Power will love your additional contribution.  Especially if that box is not insulated.

Thick batts of fiberglass insulation between the roof beams, with paper but but not vapor barrier facing.  Trapping the humidity would rot the roof, but the paper would stop a constant rain of itching and pulmonary silicosis producing particles.

A gabble peak exhaust fan.  Looking at your last photo, the loft is almost belly crawl high.  An intake vent at that peak  - some rain exclusion flaps outside and a way to fit a 2-4" thick Styrofoam  air tight cover over the hole in the Winter.  The other peak has your porch outside it.  Good and bad.  Good in that the fan can be at the peak face of the porch and the fan noise will be less.   Bad in that the peak of the porch will have to be a tunnel.  - a ceiling there.  Greenhouse fans come with louver flaps.   A simple screen covered opening for the main front peak.  A Winter cover there too.  I would hate the winterizing and summerizing maintenance.  

The whole roof can be covered with 4'x8' sheets of 1" foil faced insulation sheets. Just tied down.  Foil face out, so that you can blind aviation with the reflection.

Or  build a "U" shaped structure over the whole building and cover it with a flexible PE reflecting tarp.  This could be large enough to exclude direct morning and especially evening solar gain.

 

Back when Carter was pres,  I built (had built) a house with a two story solar room in central KY.  Summers are just as hot and humid as piedmont Tarheelia  with more tornadoes. Great for tomatoes though.  Being a second generation tech pioneer - lots and lots of things I would have done differently, if...  One of gotcha for that region,  it does not sun all that much in the Winter.  What was great for New Mexico and Arizona, was not exactly the same.

 

[mtaylor]

Jaager brings up a good point.  I hope you have plans for heating and air conditioning in the He Shed.

[Hank]

Jaager, Mark -

Thanks for the comments, etc. & ideas re. the HVAC! I do have some general plans for putting in some form of heating + A/C, but not yet to the extent of purchase. I am looking around at used appliance sites, etc. Also, I am planning on getting a new roof w/ridge vent put on this summer. I have plenty of 24" wide insulation batts that will go above the ceiling panels; I need my contractor/realtor/friend to pay me a visit soon about all this - he's also working on a shop building on his property.

Lots to think about on a tight budget, as well!

[Jaager]

In thinking about the theory of the thing, it could have a real resistance to solar gain if there was a double roof.  Leave the old trusses and plywood (or MDF) sheathing.  Remove the old shingles - because of their weight.  Add riser blocks to determine the gap and add a new roof with new rafters, sheathing and shingles over it.  Active exhaust of the air in the gap would divert the heat.  Of course the additional weight may crush the walls and the whole thing be a quantum singularity for your budget. 

 

If there was sufficient insulation, a free standing ceramic space heater may be enough for most Winter conditions.  Not shirt sleeve, but not ice sickle.  I was going to try one in my garage, but I finished what I needed to do down there on La Renommee before it got cold.  Then my Black Dog got aholdt of my initiative, so I did not need to buy one. 

[Hank]

On 5/29/2020 at 10:29 AM, Jaager said:

In thinking about the theory of the thing, it could have a real resistance to solar gain if there was a double roof.  Leave the old trusses and plywood (or MDF) sheathing.  Remove the old shingles - because of their weight.  Add riser blocks to determine the gap and add a new roof with new rafters, sheathing and shingles over it.  Active exhaust of the air in the gap would divert the heat.  Of course the additional weight may crush the walls and the whole thing be a quantum singularity for your budget. 

 

If there was sufficient insulation, a free standing ceramic space heater may be enough for most Winter conditions.  Not shirt sleeve, but not ice sickle.  I was going to try one in my garage, but I finished what I needed to do down there on La Renommee before it got cold.  Then my Black Dog got aholdt of my initiative, so I did not need to buy one. 

Duh.....what? ...........😁

Today The Chief & I go to Lowe's in his pickup truck for wood paneling, 4x4s, and various small items. The larger stuff won't fit the CaddyWagon and I have waste in the utility trailer. Hoping my contractor/realtor/friend will show up this evening for some needed advice, etc. May not get a lot of progress made today, but that's ok - there's always tomorrow!

[jwvolz]

Looking really nice Hank.

[Hank]

On 6/2/2020 at 9:33 AM, jwvolz said:

Looking really nice Hank.

Thanks, Joe!! Nice to know it's impressed at least one person!!!

Have gotten one of two wall panels installed - the heat in the shed during the day is rather intense - so, with a few other errands to run, I only got out there tonight for a short while to do a few little tasks here & there. I hope to get out tomorrow a.m. to cut the holes out of the last wall panel sheet and get it installed. Then, build the 2nd 4' wall partition and install it - my contractor/realtor/friend had to delay his visit so hopefully tomorrow afternoon he'll stop by and we can iron out some things that he probably has the answer for that I need to hear. It's also supposed to rain so we'll see what happens on that front! I've been checking the for sale apps and Craig's List for a used A/C wall unit with heat - nothing yet; I'm pretty sure one will show up sooner or later.

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

I've been checking the for sale apps and Craig's List for a used A/C wall unit with heat - nothing yet; I'm pretty sure one will show up sooner or later.

Have you considered the new freestanding portable air conditioners? I haven't played with one, but I'm seriously considering it. If anybody has any experience with them, please chime in. I like the portability, the absence of installation work, and no hard wiring required.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=freestanding+portable+air+conditioner&oq=freestanding+portable+air+conditioner&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.7120j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Hank]

10 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Have you considered the new freestanding portable air conditioners? I haven't played with one, but I'm seriously considering it. If anybody has any experience with them, please chime in. I like the portability, the absence of installation work, and no hard wiring required.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=freestanding+portable+air+conditioner&oq=freestanding+portable+air+conditioner&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.7120j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Bob,

No, I had not heard about these units. I've just looked at Lowe's website and they do have at least one model that would be suitable for the size of my shop. I will indeed investigate this - thanks so much for the tip!!!

Hank